Display device



C. W BOSTON DISPLAY DEVICE April 18, 1939.

s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1953 W cca/M1 April 18, 1939. c. w BOSTON DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 4 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 0

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A ril 18, 1939.

c. w. BOSTON 2,154,658

DlSPLAY DEVICE} Filed April 4, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.1] 0

26 'ff 9W (War/e5 )7. 3052012 Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to display cabinets, and it has particular relation to a front display construction of cabinets or cartons for displaying perishable or semi-perishable articles, such as bakery products or other comestibles.

One object of the invention is to provide an even and uniform display of articles of merchandise, quantities of which are normally being consumed from day to day, and to provide for replaceable merchandise displays according to the consumption of supplies of a given article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a replaceable cabinet front for displaying cartonlike trays filled with articles, and including features rendering the structure adaptable to be incorporated in various types of display cabinets or carton shelf fronts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a demountable holder in the form of a receptacle for displaying cartons or trays and which is adapted to be applied without altering the structure of various forms of conventional display frames or cabinet closures.

Another object of the invention is to provide display frames including carton closures adapted to be mounted upon the open ends of cartons and provided with means to facilitate and maintain their proper mounting upon supports, such as shelves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined carton and display assembly suitable for cooperation with frame-like carton covers and closures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a replaceable display carton or tray with parts facilitating assembly of the tray in conjunction with a holder or receptacle for a display carton or tray, whereby the articles in the tray are maintained against displacement while mounting them in the display frame, but portions of the display carton are removable to present the article properly for display after the trays or display cartons have been assembled in the holder and frame.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a display cabinet in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on a larger scale, of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a, perspective of a display carton holder incorporated in the structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section illustrating another arrangement of assembly portions of the display holder and frame.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating elements for cooperating with those shown in Fig. 4 to assemble portions of a display holder or frame;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of a closure frame sec- 5 tion embodying the invention;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal fragmentary section taken substantially along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially along the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View partially in section and partially in side elevation of a display closure illustrating a preliminary step in inserting a tray or package of articles;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic View similar to Fig. 9 of a succeeding step of installing a tray or carton of articles therein;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 9 and illustrating the manner of removing a portion of the tray or display carton for displaying the contents thereof;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective of a carton of articles, including a display carton or package;

Fig. 13 is a perspective of another form of display package;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary perspective of a mounting element for incorporation with a holder and display cabinet in assembling the display frame upon a support;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating an attaching device for securing a frame to a support; and

Fig. 16 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 15 for the same purpose.

I In practicing the invention a cabinet or counter 20 is provided with shelves 22 that can be inclined slightly to the horizontal (Fig. 2) and are adapted to support a series of cartons 23 containing supplies of articles of merchandise 25 such as cookies, biscuits, or like bakery products, which are adapted to be replenished in new cartons from time to time. A removable frame 26 adapted to be disposed about an open end of each carton in cooperation with the shelves 22, is provided with a rear frame section 21 of polygonal form for embracing the end of the carton 23. Rearwardly extending portions of the frame section are in the form of marginal flanges 28 that contact the end of the carton in embracing relation, and have beaded edges 29, with the exception of the upper flange 50 28 which may not be beaded.

Each shelf is provided with a plate so composed of resilient sheet or strip material and having shelf attaching end ears 3!. In one form of the plate 30, an upper folded flange portion 32 is 55 formed with a front rounded or upwardly turned edge 33 and a rear beaded portion 35. This plate is shorter than the length of one side of the frame and the lower flange 28 thereof is forced under the flange 32 until the beaded flange edge 29 snaps into the beaded rear portion of the plate and thus the frame and supply carton are firmly held against accidental displacement upon the shelf. However, the cover frame can be detached by drawing it directly outwardly from the shelf. It will be observed that the front edge 33 of the plate flange 3D is spaced rearwardly from the front edge of the shelf 22 in order to facilitate the insertion of the beaded flange edge 29 thereunder. Variations in the form of the plate 30 are shown in Figs. 15 and 16 wherein only one strip of material is secured adjacent the front edge of the shelf. The plate 30 may be bent upwardly as shown in Fig. 15 or the shelf may be recessed, as indicated at 34, to provide space for receiving the rear beaded edge of the cover frame 26. Since these forms are similar to the structure shown in Fig. 14, like reference characters are used for corresponding parts.

A display closure or door 36 included in the frame 26 to provide access to the inside of the carton 23 has a hinge connection 31 to the rear frame section 21, and it has rearwardly extending flanges 38 beaded at their rear edges, as indicated at 39. One of the side beaded edges 39 constitutes part of the hinge 31. Windows or openings 50 and 52 are formed in the closure for receiving a name plate or price card 53, and for providing a display space 55, respectively. These windows are formed to present a pleasing pattern for the display of articles therethrough and the inner edges of the material surrounding the openings are headed, as indicated at 56.

A glass panel or plate 51 is fitted in the inner side of the closure 36 to cover each window 52 and is secured removably in assembled relation with the frame by means of resilient bars 58 and 59 disposed across the upper and lower edges thereof. Suitable beads or lugs 60 and 6| are struck out from the material of the closure flanges 38 and the bars are sprung behind the beads to maintain the glass removably mounted in the closure. At the upper portion of the closure, the card or name plate 53 has a lower flange which overlaps the upper edge of the glass and assists the bar 58 in maintaining the glass in its proper position.

A removable carton or tray holder in the form of a receptacle 63 composed of sheet material which should be at least slightly resilient, is carried by the closure, and has considerable open space between its extremities. The front lower portions of the holder are provided with hooks 65 extending downwardly from normally horizontal plane portions 66 that provide supports at opposite sides of the holder. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these hooks are normally disposed about the lower edge of the glass 51, and vertical marginal flanges 61 of the holder are bent inwardly to form channels 68 to receive opposite edgesvof the glass 51. Vertical side walls 69 and frame-like rear wall portions 10 and 12 extend approximately half the height of the window 52. Spring strips 13 struck out from the vertical rear wall portions 19-12 project inwardly of 'the holder, and the rear wall portion 10 is provided with sharply pointed fingers 15 at its lower edges. These fingers are bent inwardly and forwardly of the holder. The rear upper edge of the holder has a rearwardly turned beaded edge 16.

Referring to Fig. 12, it will be observed that the carton 23 of cookies, or the like, and designed for use in conjunction with the display frame 26, is provided with a tray or display carton 11 preferably placed at the top of the carton. Partitions 18 provide for packing the articles in layers and in separate compartments, and the front side of the display carton 11 is provided with a removable cover or slide 19 of sheet material having a projecting flap 89 along one edge thereof. The display carton 11 with the cover 19 is bodily inserted into the holder 63, as indicated in Figs.

9 and 10, until the front of the carton registers with the window 52 and against the glass 51. Then the cover 19 is withdrawn by manually pulling the flap upwardly as shown in Fig. 11. The opposite upright side walls of the display carton 11 (Figs. 9-10-11) serve as guides for the up ght edges of the protective cover 19, and likewise, the opposite upright walls 38 of the closure 26 further guide the cover 19 during its removal and prevents binding of the cover in the guiding walls of the display carton. After the display tray has been so inserted as to be contained snugly in the receptacle, it is dimcult to grasp its upper edge because it is disposed close against the closure elements. The spring strips 13 engage the rear surface of the display carton 11 to insure proper display of the articles 25 closely against the glass at the window 52. It is important that the display tray 11 be composed of relatively soft or fragile material and the pointed inwardly turned fingers 15 press against the rear wall of the tray during and after its insertion therein. In removing the display carton from the closure holder 63 it is diflicult to grasp it manually from the top of the display closure without bending and crushing it, and when it is drawn upwardly the fingers project into the rear wall to mutilate it in such manner that it is unfit for further use.

Since it is desirable to replace the display trays from time to time, and since eachsupply carton 23 has a new display tray 11 therein, an entire new display tray replaces the old one with each new filled supply carton 23 used. However, as indicated above, the old display tray cannot be reused after it has been withdrawn and mutilated in the manner described.

In Fig. 13 the display tray 82 is shown to be provided with a covering 83 of transparent material, such as Cellophane for protecting the articles therein, as well as rendering them visible for display. In displaying this type of tray thewindow 52 of the closure does not require glass although it is apparent that the glass can also be used with this type of tray.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the display tray holder 85 functions similarly to that described above, but has different means for mounting it in the display frame. The lower side of the holder 85 is provided with hooks 86 connected by means of a hinge 81 to the body of the holder. Each hook embraces the lower edge of the glass in the same manner as that described with reference to Fig. 3. Each vertical side 68 of the holder corresponding to the side 69 of the holder 63 is provided with a lateral projection or flange 89 which is slightly resilient and snaps behind a struck out bead 99 in the vertical flange wall-38 of the closure. Thus the holder may be pivoted outwardly to release the flange from the bead 90,

and then the holder is pivoted to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. to facilitate the insertion of a display tray.

After the carton or tray has been placed in the holder 89 in its rearwardly pivoted position, it is then pressed from the rear until the flange 89 snaps behind the bead 90. In this particular form the display carton or tray is not mutilated when it is withdrawn.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that various types of cover frames are adapted to cooperate with the carton or tray holder 63 of the construction shown in the drawings or with certain actual forms already in use, and that a full and attractive tray for displaying articles is insured. It has been found that the use of a uniform and filled series of windows for articles of the type described is so attractive that the sale of these articles is materially increased by the use of the invention described. Moreover, the arrangement of the diplay carton or tray is such that its contents may be sold when the articles of an entire supply carton are exhausted. By using a package or tray of the type disclosed in Fig. 13, the articles therein are protected by the Cellophane covering, and even though they are the last articles to be sold from a given carton supply, they are still fresh because of the protective covering.

Although only the preferred forms of the invention have been shown and described in detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A display device comprising a frame section adapted to be mounted upon the open end of a merchandise container, a display closure having a removable transparent window! section and mounted in the frame section, and a display tray receptacle having connections extending in interfitting relation around edge portions of the transparent window section, said receptacle and window section being removable and replaceable as a unit in the closure, and means for detachably securing the unit in the closure.

2. The combination with a display cover carried upon a main merchandise container, a holder for supporting a display tray, a transparent window section in the cover of the merchandise container, a receptacle body having lateral depthdefining extensions formed with cooperable opposing saddle portions normally straddling marginal portions of the window section in interlockable relation for mounting the holder on the cover whereby a display tray of merchandise can be held adjacent the window section for display therethrough.

3. The combination with a primary container for a merchandise display device and a cover mounted on the container, a receptacle for holding a tray of merchandise in said cover, a closure member included in said cover, said receptacle having marginal portions embracing edge por-= tions of the closure member whereby the receptacle is demountably connected to the closure member.

4. The combination with a primary container for a merchandise display device and a cover mounted on the container, a closure member included in said cover, a receptacle having side portions extending forwardly and. provided with saddle portions for partially and loosely embracing side edge portions of the closure member, bottom portions of the receptacle extending forwardly and provided with saddle portions for partially and loosely embracing bottom edge portions of the closure member, said bottom portions constituting seat structure for supporting a tray of merchandise.

5. The combination with a primary container and a cover mounted on the container, a display unit for displaying trays of merchandise in said cover and including a transparent window section, a receptacle for holding a tray of merchandise, said receptacle having marginal portions partially and loosely embracing edge portions of the window section in demountable relation, and means for mounting the window section and the receptacle as a unit in the cover structure.

6. The combination with a primary container and a cover mounted on the container, a display unit for displaying trays of merchandise in said cover and including a transparent window section, a receptacle for holding a tray of merchandise, said receptacle having forwardly extending marginal portions of saddle form partially and loosely straddling edge portions of the window section in demountable relation, and means for mounting the window section and the receptacle as a unit in the cover.

CHARLES W. BOSTON. 

